Family Devotional: Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

Dear Mayflower family, This week the page grows out of "Timothy Joins Paul and Silas," from Acts 16:1–5, Sunday's passage, with Leon Jones as our guest preacher. The heart of it is this: Paul was willing to give up almost anything so people could hear about Jesus, but he never changed the good news about Jesus. A young man named Timothy, taught the Bible at home by his mother and grandmother, joins Paul and Silas, gives up something hard so Jewish people will listen, and helps carry the good news to the churches just as it was. Read together, talk together, pray together, sing together. Here is this week's page. Pastor Anton Timothy Joins Paul and Silas Family Devotional · Acts 16:1–5 · October 4, 2026 This page works two ways: as one ten-minute sitting at the table, or as five short Monday-to-Friday steps from the same page. There is no wrong way. This week's Big Idea Paul was willing to give up almost anything so people could hear about Jesus, but he never changed the good news about Jesus. Memory verse "So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily." Acts 16:5 (ESV) 1. READ Read Acts 16:1–5 out loud. Stay on this one passage all week. Monday: verse 1. God gives Paul a new helper, a young man named Timothy. Tuesday: verse 2. The Christians in two towns said good things about Timothy. Wednesday: verse 3. Timothy gave up something hard so Jewish people would listen. Thursday: verse 4. Paul and his friends brought the churches the decisions from Jerusalem to keep. Friday: verse 5. The churches grew strong, and more people believed every day. 2. THINK Timothy's mother and grandmother taught him the Bible when he was little, and when Paul came to town, God gave Timothy to Paul as a helper. Paul had Timothy circumcised, a sign Jewish families gave their boys, not to make Timothy right with God but so Jewish people would be willing to listen, because Paul would give up almost anything so people could hear about Jesus. But Paul never changed the good news itself: Jesus did everything needed to save us, and nobody has to add anything to what He did. 3. TALK You do not need to ask them all. For young children: Timothy's mother and grandmother taught him about God when he was little. Who teaches you about God? What is one thing you have learned about Jesus? For school-age children: The Christians in two different towns said good things about Timothy. What do you think they noticed about him? What would you want people to notice about you, and who could help you grow that way? For teens: Paul would change almost anything about how he did things so people would listen, but he would never change the message. Is there something you could give up so a friend would be more willing to hear about Jesus? Have you ever been tempted to leave part of Jesus out so faith would be easier to talk about? And have you trusted Christ yourself, or have you only learned about Him? For the whole table: What is one thing our family could give up this week so that someone else could hear about Jesus or feel His love? 4. DO Do this: This week, each person picks one thing they usually get to choose, like the dinner, the game, or the seat in the car, and gives that choice to someone else in the family on purpose, without being asked. At the end of the week, talk about how Paul and Timothy gave things up so others could hear about Jesus. Another way to do this: Choose one favorite thing to share together this week, like a snack, a toy, or an afternoon, and give it to someone outside the family, a neighbor or a friend from church, with a note that says, "Jesus loves you, and we wanted to share." 5. PRAY Father, thank You that Jesus gave up everything to come and save people like us, and that nobody has to add anything to what He did. Please save every person at this table who does not yet trust Jesus, and grow the ones who do. Make us a family that gladly gives things up so others can hear about You, and that never changes Your good news. In Jesus' name, Amen. 6. SING All I Have Is Christ. Paul could give up so much because Christ was enough, and this hymn sings that nothing else is needed. If no one wants to sing, read the first verse out loud instead. One faith talk this week is a win!